This is Tonight
by Syn2
Summary: Everyone else is hooking up, why can't they? DawnAndrew (set during Touched)


Title: This is Tonight  
  
Author: Syn  
  
E-Mail: veruca_werewolf@hotmail.com  
  
Rating: R for underage sexual situations  
  
Spoilers: Up to Touched  
  
Setting: During all the sexcapades in Touched  
  
Disclaimer: Yeah, if they were mine, there would have been some Dawn/Andrew touch in "Touched", m'kay?  
  
Summary: Everyone else is hooking up, why can't they?  
  
A/N: I knew from the moment I first read spoilers for this episode that I was going to write this story. It had it coming. It was BEGGING to be written. lol  
  
Feedback: Go ahead...tell me I'm a bad, bad girl.   
  
****  
  
Dawn shifted in place, trying to ignore the moaning and creaking coming through her bedroom walls. A sharp moan and a grunt made her jump and blush. She really, REALLY didn't want to hear her high school principal getting it on. And from the quieter sounds next door, it seemed like Kennedy and Willow were finally taking their relationship to the next step.   
  
She felt VERY voyeuristic just then, sitting on her bed and listening to them, imagining--oh God, she was getting mental pictures! Disturbed, she hopped off the bed and crept downstairs, past piles of sleeping Potentials wrapped in blankets, faces frozen with fear, as if their dreams were no refuge from the hell their lives had become. She started to walk into the kitchen and stopped dead in her tracks as she heard Anya moan, followed by Xander's deep rumble of pleasure.   
  
Was everybody hooking up but her?   
  
Throwing up her hands in defeat, she grabbed the nearest blanket and a pillow and stormed out of the house, grabbing Xander's keys as she went. His car was likely to be the only place she was going to get any sleep and she didn't care if the seatbelt poked her in the butt--at least she wouldn't have to hear...all of THAT.   
  
The night was ominously dark and it struck her that maybe she shouldn't be outside all alone. Still, she wasn't a Potential so she didn't have anything to worry about--not really. Squaring her shoulders, she quickly jogged down the darkened front walk to Xander's car, parked along the curb. The cement was wet with dew, yet still retained the heat of the day.   
  
She unlocked the door and threw her blanket and pillow into the passenger's seat, then climbed in after them. She settled back into the seat and then slammed the door. As she did, something bolted upright in the backseat and screamed.   
  
She screamed with it and swung back her fist, connecting with bone and flesh. The other someone stopped screaming and slumped against the backseat, obviously stunned. Dawn twisted around and glared at the dark shadow, expecting a Bringer or...something.   
  
Her eyes met Andrew's and she let out a sigh of relief. His eyes were wide and he had one hand pressed to his nose, blood trickling down between his fingers.   
  
"Andrew? What are you doing in here?"   
  
"Everyone's doing it and I couldn't sleep. What are you doing out here?" He asked, grabbing the edge of his t-shirt and lifting it to his nose. Dawn caught a glimpse of his stomach and quickly looked away.   
  
"Same thing." Dawn replied, brushing her hair out of her face and turning around on the seat to sit on her knees. "I totally didn't want to hear THAT, you know? I mean, especially not Faith and Principal Wood."   
  
"Faith is loud too."   
  
"Yeah...so is Anya."   
  
"Anya? Anya and GILES?" Andrew's eyes widened even more in the darkness.   
  
"No! Xander."   
  
"Oh...well that would make much more sense."   
  
"I think she and Xander were getting freaky on the kitchen floor. I almost walked in on it."   
  
"The kitchen floor? That's really unsanitary. What with the people walking on it all the time and all the...germs n'stuff." Andrew said, wiping away the last of the blood from his nose.   
  
"At least they all have somebody. Lucky them." Dawn said bitterly, resting her chin on the back of the seat. Andrew nodded his head solemnly and looked over at the house. "So...who's going back inside?"   
  
"What?"   
  
"Well I'm not going back in there. Not while they're all...you know."   
  
"Me neither! And I was here first!" Andrew exclaimed, slapping his hand down on the cushion with a thump.   
  
"We can't both sleep in here..."   
  
"Why can't we?" Andrew asked softly, running a hand through his hair, as Dawn looked him over, one eyebrow raised.   
  
"Because...it's all...cramped and...and..."   
  
"And its not like we haven't slept together before." Dawn looked sharply at him and he quickly corrected himself. "You know, under the same roof. Not...sleeping together like...horizontally or nakedly. Not that I'm thinking about you naked! Or even at all."   
  
"Okaaaay..."   
  
"So...you wanna?"   
  
Dawn studied him for a moment before glancing at the house and sighing. "All right. But no talking or...anything else! Just sleeping, got it?"   
  
"Got it."   
  
"Good."   
  
With that, Dawn turned back around in the seat and tried to get comfortable, the car rocking around them as Andrew lay back down on the seat, his legs curled up close to his body. Dawn stuffed the pillow between her shoulder and the passenger side window, and then snuggled down under the blanket.   
  
After a few more adjustments, silence descended on the car. Dawn closed her eyes and took a deep breath, willing herself into silence. Immediately her neck began to hurt from the angle she was holding it at. She tried shifting, but couldn't seem to get comfortable. Andrew stirred in the backseat and then sat up. Her seat suddenly went backward before she knew what was happening.   
  
She looked up with a stunned expression on her face as Andrew hovered over her. A smile spread slowly across his face as he laid back down, his legs folded up near her head where the seat laid flat against the backseat.   
  
"Just thought you might be more comfortable if you laid down."   
  
"What about you? Don't you want to stretch out?"   
  
"Nahh...I sleep in a ball anyway." He said, puffing up his pillow and cuddling up under the thin blanket he'd brought out. Dawn watched him put his thumb in his mouth and close his eyes. She couldn't help but think that Andrew was pretty nice sometimes. And...he wasn't so bad looking. She liked his hair. And he had nice eyes. She didn't think she'd mind if he wanted to--   
  
She stopped herself, going pale as she suddenly realized exactly what she'd been thinking. No way...not Andrew. Definitely not him. Of all the guys...   
  
She was just tired and frustrated, that was what it was. And he was male and male meant penis and penis meant sex and she was just flustered by what she'd heard in the house. That was exactly it. Nothing more.   
  
Still...he looked really cute lying there with his thumb in his mouth.   
  
He must have sensed her watching him, because his eyes slowly opened and he blinked at her. "Hi."   
  
"Hi."   
  
"Can't sleep?"   
  
"No...just...thinking."   
  
"'Bout what?"   
  
"Nothing." She said quickly, biting her lip. He nodded and silence fell over them again. She looked away from him, her eyes going back to the dark, not-so-empty house. She wondered if everyone was still having a good time inside. Her thoughts went to Buffy and worry formed a knot in her stomach. "Okay, I'm worried about Buffy."   
  
"She'll be fine. Spike went to look for her and he's got that extra vampy...vampire senses thing happening. If she's in trouble, he'll find her."   
  
"Its not her getting into trouble that worries me. Its her...just...alone. I don't think we did the right thing. Do you?"   
  
"I wasn't there, sweetie. I don't know what all happened..."   
  
"We ganged up on her. But...she brought it on herself. I'm the one that kicked her out of the house."   
  
"Don't blame yourself. At...at least you just told her and didn't literally kick her like Faith would have done. You didn't do that did you? Right?"   
  
"No. I didn't kick her. I still feel bad though."   
  
"She'll forgive you, don't worry."   
  
"I know. And that makes me feel worse."   
  
"I know how you feel. Redemption is hard. I'm probably gonna die before I achieve it, too. That's really tragic, like Rogue from X-Men. Forever doomed to go without the touch of other humans and mutants and constantly dealing with the pain of what she did to her first love and her turn to the dark side. And she's so in love with Gambit, but she can't have him."   
  
"Who's Gambit? Hugh Jackman?"   
  
Andrew looked scandalized. "I was talking about the comics, not the movies. Gambit wasn't in them and don't get me started on the comics-to-movie debate because I'll talk your ear off about how Rogue sucks without her super-strength and flying powers."   
  
"I don't know...you're kinda cute when you get mad about comic books. After we saw Daredevil, I thought your head was gonna explode."   
  
"Oh, it was a close call, but I reined in the anger and harnessed it for the greater good."   
  
"Fighting evil?"   
  
"No, beating you at Dragonball Z, remember?"   
  
"I do recall you winning a few rounds after that..." Dawn said with a grin.   
  
"Damn straight."   
  
Dawn laughed at the expression on his face and shifted in the seat to look at him better. "So...you think you're going to die?"   
  
"Probably. I mean...its not like anyone would miss me, right?" He said offhandedly, trying to keep the worry from his voice. She caught it anyway and reached out a hand to touch his jean-clad leg.   
  
"That's not true. I'd miss you."   
  
"You would?" He looked very eager to hear that. Dawn blushed again and brushed her hair out of her face.   
  
"Yeah...I mean, who else would I hang out with in a car in the middle of the night?" That got a reluctant smile, one that stretched across his shadowed features and dispelled the sad look in his eyes.   
  
"I guess you're right." He said, and then laughed nervously. "It's a big pity party with me as the host! Didn't mean to be all negative. Just still kinda freaked out about that Bringer talking through me. That was weird."   
  
"You are okay though, right?"   
  
"Yeah. Peachy with a side of keen."   
  
"Good." She said, patting his leg again. His eyes traveled down to her hand and he shifted in the seat as she quickly removed her hand. Silence descended on them yet again and Dawn laid her head back down on the pillow, her feet sticking out of the blanket and off the seat. It wasn't particularly comfortable, but it was better than listening to what was going on in the house.   
  
"So...have you ever done it?" Andrew suddenly asked, breaking the silence. Dawn's attention flew back to him and she saw him watching her with round eyes, his lips pressed together in a thin line. He looked like he hadn't meant to ask her that.   
  
"Uh...I don't...that's none of your business." She managed to say, blushing deeply before asking, "Have you?"   
  
"I asked you first." He pointed out, sitting up on his elbow, his head resting on his palm.   
  
Dawn cleared her throat. "Umm...no. I haven't."   
  
"Me neither."   
  
"Oh." She couldn't seem to make her voice work. Why did he ask her that? "Do...do you want to?"   
  
"Yeah. I mean...someday. What about you?"   
  
"Someday. Not that...I know of anyone who would want to...I mean, everyone's taken, kinda. And I don't like girls so..."   
  
"Same here. Er...I mean, I don't like any of THOSE girls."   
  
"But...you would if you did like them?" Dawn asked, sitting up on her elbows as he sat up too, the blanket falling off his chest.   
  
"If I knew that one of them liked me then I would definitely...but...I don't like any of THEM." He said, gesturing to the house with his thumb. Dawn's heart raced in her chest as she leaned toward him. Where they going to…?   
  
"But you like somebody? Somebody NOT taken and…and here…"   
  
"Uh-huh." Andrew said, leaning toward her, bending at the waist and bringing his face down to hers. They both hesitated a second before letting their lips slide together. His lips were soft, gentle and unsure as he kissed her very slowly, his hand creeping into the silky strands of her hair. Her mouth seemed to fit his perfectly as she pressed her mouth to his, moving, tasting, teasing, hands threading through his hair to pull him closer.   
  
A little part of her mind was screaming, "This is ANDREW! You're kissing Andrew! What are you thinking?" And of course, there was that other part of her that was turning into warm jelly on the car seat, her heart racing and her body reacting to him more strongly than she thought possible.   
  
Slowly, she sat up, taking him with her. She kissed him hard on the mouth and then pushed him back against the seat. His eyes were wide and his mouth was open in surprise. A smile crossed her face as she climbed over the seat and straddled his legs before he could say anything.   
  
She kissed him again and wrapped her arms around his neck. "So, the world is ending. How do you wanna spend one of your last nights on earth?"   
  
Andrew looked at her, surprised and pleased and clearly scared shitless. Not that Dawn wasn't feeling the same way; her stomach was doing flip-flops. "I think...statistically speaking, a lot of people lose their virginity in a car. I don't mind being normal for once."   
  
Dawn smiled and then grabbed his hands, placing them on her hips, her mouth going back to his. This time she slipped her tongue against his lips; he immediately opened his mouth and invited her in. She thrust her tongue inside, massaging it against his as he suckled hers deeper into his mouth. He wasn't a bad kisser, actually. Well, it wasn't like she'd had so much practice, but he definitely didn't suck.   
  
They continued to kiss as she guided his hands up her ribs, his thumbs catching under the hem of her shirt. Without prompting, he slipped his hands underneath, fingers lightly mapping the soft hollows of her torso, arms encircling her to pull her against his chest. She slid further down his lap and drew in a sharp breath as she felt the hardened bulge of his erection straining through layers of denim beneath her crotch. He moaned and instinctually lifted his hips against hers, his hands closing over her breasts.   
  
Little chills of pleasure washed over her skin in waves as his fingers squeezed, his palms filled with her soft flesh. Impatiently, she grabbed the hem of her shirt and pulled it completely off, her hair spilling back down over their faces as she immediately sought after his mouth again.   
  
She felt his hands leave her breasts and move to her back, where he started tugging at the clasp of her bra. He broke away from her and made a face. "What's the matter?"   
  
"Stupid bra. How do you work this thing?"   
  
"Like this." She said, grinning and reaching around to her back. She deftly unclasped the hooks and then pulled the straps down her arms. He watched in awe as she pulled the sparkly purple garment off of her body and dropped it onto the driver's seat.   
  
"Wow." Was all he said before she grabbed his hands again and placed them on her bare breasts. Her hands trembled a little and so did his, but she ignored the butterflies in her stomach and squeezed her hand on top of his; he immediately started massaging the skin, his thumbs brushing across her nipples, making them hard and tight.   
  
His mouth soon followed his hands and she leaned back against the driver's seat as he laid gentle, warm kisses across the pebbled surface of her skin. His tongue stroked out, sliding around her nipples with much more expertise than she would have given him credit for. Her hands clenched in his hair and she experimentally moved her hips in a circle. She felt his erection strain against the fly of his jeans and he gently bit down on the underside of her right breast, eliciting a gasp from her.   
  
As he continued to explore her breasts with his mouth, tasting her with his tongue, lips gentle as they pulled at her nipples, she reached out and grabbed the hem of his shirt, pulling it swiftly over his head and tossing it into the front with her bra. His chest was nicely toned, yet soft under her questing fingers. His skin was warm and it made her own skin tingle as she pulled at his shoulders.   
  
He took the hint and shifted out from under her, letting her lay down on the seat, her head on the pillow, her long legs around his middle. The backseat was very shallow though and he couldn't quite fit or find a handhold. He twisted around and fumbled blindly for the release on the passenger seat. When he finally found it, he pulled it and pushed the seat back into an upright position, giving him some room to fit in. He turned back to her and started to lie between her legs and promptly smashed his head against the dome light.   
  
"You know...I don't think Henry Ford had this in mind when he made cars." Andrew complained, rubbing his head.   
  
"You okay?"   
  
"I'm fine. Seeing double, but fine." He said, smiling nervously as he settled between her legs. Her arms went around him again, as if she were afraid that if she let go, he wouldn't stay. He braced his arms on either side of her head and kissed her on the forehead once before moving down to her lips, his tongue swirling into her mouth with confidence.   
  
Dawn reached between them, hesitating a moment before molding her hand over his erection. He made a shuddering sound and pressed into her hand, his eyes slamming shut. Seeing the effect that had on him, she squeezed, her hand tightening on the bulge. He gave a jerk and let loose a high-pitched squeak, then pressed into her again, his face buried in the crook of her neck. She bit down on her lip hard enough to draw blood and slowly undid the button on his jeans, then slid the zipper down.   
  
He was wearing Scooby Doo boxers and that only made her smile as she pulled back the elastic band at the top and slipped her hand inside. His stomach was warm under her fingers as she skimmed over the soft muscles and over a thick patch of coarse hair. As he breathed in short puffs against her neck, she slid her hand around his penis, the satiny soft skin a surprise to her for all that it was hard in her fist. She explored his shaft, the pads of her fingers taking in the texture and hard planes as he breathed deeply against her, his chest pressed to hers. His hips rose to meet her hand as she gripped him tightly, sliding all the way up his penis, then back down and up again.   
  
His body trembled over hers as he moved his face to the side, his tongue sliding across her jaw and dipping back into her mouth. She immediately suckled on his tongue, her lips swollen and sensitive beneath his. His hips thrust into her hand as she continued to tug at him gently. A moment later he jerked again, expelling a shuddering breath against her throat, his body going rigid against hers. Her hand stopped and she swept her thumb across the smooth head of his penis, feeling a slick liquid beading there.   
  
He looked into her eyes, his lower lip trembling slightly; sweat beading on his forehead, making his hair curl into little ringlets. She noticed, with a start, how hot it was in the car. May in Southern California was usually fairly warm, even at night, and it seemed tonight was no exception. The windows of Xander's car were steamed up, turning the inside of the vehicle into a secluded cave where she felt safe. Just Andrew and her.   
  
She smiled and pulled her hand from his boxers and gently wiped them on the blanket before reaching up to brush one damp ringlet away from his forehead. He blinked at her, his arm shaking from keeping himself upright, his cheeks flushed. He studied her face for a moment before dipping his head back to her lips, like he couldn't get enough of the taste of her mouth.   
  
As she kissed him, sweaty skin sliding along sweaty skin, he nestled even further down against her, supporting himself on one elbow between her body and the back of the seat and with one foot braced against the car door. His other hand explored her body once more, brushing across the gentle swells of her breasts, over her ribs, all the way down to the curve of her waist, his fingers hooking in her belt loops, thumbs brushing her stomach and making goosebumps rise on her skin.   
  
She tensed as he unbuttoned her jeans, his fingers fumbling with her zipper a second before pulling it down. Cold air swirled over the exposed skin on her stomach as she reached down and, putting her hands over his. He stopped and drew his mouth away from hers in question, but she only squeezed his hand, stomach tied in knots. Then, slowly mustering her courage, she lifted her butt of the seat and pushed on his hands. He took the hint and pulled her jeans off her hips and down to her thighs, where she lifted one leg. He sat up and grabbed the leg of her jeans and pulled them off, then turned to the other one and did the same, tossing them in the direction of their shirts.   
  
He turned back to her, his eyes swallowing her whole as he looked her over. She suddenly felt very vulnerable, lying there on the seat beneath him, clad in nothing but a skimpy pair of panties. But...she was safe. It was just Andrew.   
  
Pressing his swollen, slightly lipstick-smeared lips together, he reached out, his fingers hooking in the sides of her panties and pulling. She closed her eyes as he pulled them off her body, leaving her completely naked beneath him.   
  
"Dawn?" Her eyes fluttered open and she looked at him, shadows filtering through the fog on the windows and falling across his face. "You...alright?"   
  
In answer, she reached for him, letting him settle between her naked thighs again, the rough denim of his jeans scraping her pale skin, the softer, thinner material of his boxers smooth and startling on the wet flesh between her legs. At the feel of the heat against his crotch, she felt him suddenly grow hard again, his penis springing to life and straining against his boxers and rubbing across the sensitive skin in anticipation.   
  
She gasped as he pushed into her, the zipper on his jeans digging into her thigh and her body tensing at the sensations rushing through her skin. All thought flew out of her head as his fingers suddenly slid between her legs, across her swollen skin and into the hot, wet core of her body. She clutched at him, her body tensing even as he did the same. Slowly, he touched her, his fingers pushing and sliding, slipping. Somewhat clumsily, but she didn't care. She'd never been touched like this by someone else and it felt better than she could ever have imagined. She could feel her pulse quicken as he found the most sensitive spots, sharp, fiery pains centered low in her body as he pushed his fingers inside.   
  
Finally, she couldn't take it anymore; she grabbed his hand and lifted her hips roughly against his. He nodded in understanding and let her tug the waistband of his boxers down. His penis jumped free, falling thickly against her wet, aching skin. She drew in a deep breath as he tried to adjust, pressing against her body, his knees beneath her legs.   
  
Their eyes connected and she reached up, cupping his face in her hands for a moment before nodding her head. He bit down on his lip and slowly eased himself inside the tight fist of her body. A stab of pain that was shared went through her, like fire licking at her insides. Her hip immediately ached as she clenched her body tightly beneath his, fingernails digging half-moon marks on his shoulders. Another sharp pain went through her rear end and she winced, a gasp escaping her lips.   
  
He shuddered above her and just as slowly, withdrew. "Are you okay?"   
  
"Yeah. Just...the seatbelt is jabbing me in the butt." She said, shifting to dislodge it. She smiled at him, her chin quivering.   
  
"Oh, yeah...the other one keeps getting under my knee." Andrew said, sweeping his thumb across her cheek. "Do you wanna...keep going...?"   
  
"It's just a seatbelt. Nothing I can't handle." Dawn said, wrinkling her nose at him and then kissing him with a grin. He smiled back, and then dipped his head for more as he eased back inside.   
  
They moved slowly, mouths drinking moans and gasps, bodies cramped into the backseat of the car. She ached, her stomach spasming as he stroked inside, burning her even as pleasure slowly built up from the pain. He covered her like a warm, sweaty blanket, her breasts crushed to his chest, her own hands trailing down his spine, the muscles bunching and rolling as he thrust inside.   
  
She slid her hands into the back of his jeans, pushing the waistband of his boxers down even further as she clenched at the rounded globes of his ass. His body stiffened as he pushed into her as far as he could go, his hips rotating back and thrusting again, her hands pulling him down eagerly. With her urging, he quickened his pace, arms shaking, hips rolling as she let go of his mouth and tilted her head back, hair spread wildly across the pillow in damp tangles.   
  
He landed kisses all over her neck; sucking at the skin so hard she knew for sure there was going to be a hickey or two in the morning. His strokes got smaller and smaller, his hips grinding into hers as his pace quickened, lips sucking, one of her hands slipping up his back and tangling in the hair on the back of his neck. As he pushed, something low and desperate started in her belly, looming larger as she rolled her hips upward to meet each thrust.   
  
"Andrew..." She muttered between frantic intakes of air, warm oxygen swirling into her lungs, her head swimming as he lifted his mouth away from her neck, blue eyes meeting blue eyes. Sweat dripped off the end of his nose and landed on her lips; her tongue darted out, drawing the tangy, salty drop into her mouth. His lips followed, drinking deeply as she shuddered, everything inside her coiling, snapping and letting go with a warm rush. She clung to him even as he continued to push inside, driving all the breath from her lungs.   
  
Eyes connected, unblinking, he braced himself and thrust into her one more time; his body went completely still, her body clenched around him as gave a shuddering exhale, mouth falling open, back arching. The air quivered around them, warm, the smell of bodies and sweat invading nostrils as he slowly, very slowly sank down on top of her.   
  
She accepted his weight on top of her; hand in his hair, fingers rubbing the skin against hers as he drew in deep, hungry lungfuls of the sex-scented air. She searched for something to say, unsure if she could even get the words out.   
  
"Janice is a moron." Dawn finally said, nodding her head solemnly as he lifted his gaze to meet hers.   
  
"Who? And why?"   
  
"Janice is my best friend and she's so the 'been there, done that' type."   
  
"Ahh...one of those." Andrew said, nodding his head in understanding. She smiled and brushed his damp spikes off his forehead once more. "And why is she a moron?"   
  
"She told me that losing your virginity is like Madonna trying to rap. It's painful, awkward and just plain bad no matter what. I can't wait to tell her she was wrong. She hates that."   
  
"Well...it was painful and awkward. What with the seatbelts and the car and all. So she was right." Andrew pointed out, shrugging his shoulders, his eyes sparkling in the darkness.   
  
"True...but the supposedly bad part was nowhere to be found."   
  
"Really?" He asked eagerly, a smile lighting up his face and melting her heart all over again. "It was good? I did good?" In response, she smiled and then tenderly kissed him as he slowly withdrew from her, leaving her feeling slightly dirty, but the good kind of dirty. She couldn't explain it and she didn't want to. He suddenly pulled back, his eyes going wide. "We didn't use a...cond...condom thingy! That's...we...babies! Babies happen!"   
  
"Whoa! Calm down Andrew! It's okay." Dawn said, putting her hand on his cheek.   
  
"It is?"   
  
"Yeah. I'm on the pill. Mom always believed in preparing for anything and everything. We had the big talk when I was like, twelve."   
  
"But...isn't the pill only like, ninety-nine point nine, nine, nine seven percent effective or something? There are a whole lot of nines in there, I'm sure of it! That's like...three whole percents of it could happen!" He exclaimed, sitting up, his face a mask of worry.   
  
"Have you been reading Buffy's Cosmo's again?"   
  
"Only the dating articles." He said defensively as she sat up, a tired smile on her face. "I think she leaves them in the bathroom to tempt me..."   
  
"Andrew," Dawn said, covering his mouth and staring into his eyes, "Don't worry about it. I mean, there's an apocalypse going on...bigger fish to fry. I'm probably gonna get sliced into Dawn cutlets before I ever have to worry about getting pregnant."   
  
"Don't talk like that."   
  
"Like what?"   
  
"Like you don't have any hope. Like you really think we're not gonna win."   
  
"I can't help it. Not when all these girls are just dying all around us. And Buffy's not here and everyone's fighting and having sex like they're never going to get a chance to do it again. It's hard being optimistic with all this going on. And why are you telling me to have hope when you think that YOU'RE going to die!"   
  
"But...that's the way it goes. I'm a villain--or I was. My redemption comes through my death. I have to save someone and die bravely, thus earning my place on the side of good." He said, shaking his head, his eyes glistening. Dawn looked him over and reached out a hand to touch his.   
  
"Life isn't a story, Andrew. That's not the way things always go."   
  
"But that's the way it should be."   
  
"I don't think so. I think redemption is hard work and not just one redeeming act. It takes a long time and you have to go through lots and lots of pain before you find it. Look at Faith...or Spike. They're still working on that whole atonement thing and they don't think they're supposed to die. Why are you different?"   
  
"They're heroes."   
  
"And you're not? Heroes aren't always out to save the world, you know. You've been doing a million things that have helped us out. Closing the seal, researching, making me laugh...making me...umm...well." Dawn blushed and went on, "That's all pretty hero-y to me. Just trust me...you're a good guy and everybody knows it."   
  
"You're not just saying that?" Andrew said hopefully, squeezing her fingers in his palm.   
  
"What do you think?" She said, kissing him swiftly and then reaching for her discarded panties. "We'd...uh...better get dressed before someone comes out here looking for us. Even though I think they're all a little busy right now, better safe than sorry."   
  
"Yeah. Good idea." Andrew said, adjusting his boxers and zipping his jeans back up. As Dawn wiggled back into her panties, she caught him watching her out of the corner of his eye, a smile tugging on his lips. "So…what are we going to do tomorrow? I mean…we had sex and all..."   
  
The impact of his words suddenly hit her as she leaned forward to retrieve her sparkly purple bra from the front seat.   
  
She had sex. With Andrew. In Xander's car. Parked in front of her house. And it was good. Oh. My. God.   
  
"Let's worry about it tomorrow. This is tonight. Let's just let it be." She said, pulling her bra on quickly. "We can keep it on the down low, ya know? Nobody has to know?"   
  
"Like an R. Kelly song and now that I think about it, you're underage and that was a completely inappropriate reference. But yeah…the down low if you wanna."   
  
"I do wanna. There's a whole lot of wanna going on here. But…let's make sure the others don't get wind of it. I'm really not in the mood to have a big fight about my love life. Again. I just wanna keep you all to me."   
  
"You're ashamed of me." He said in a hurt tone, shrugging his shoulders. She immediately caught hold of his chin, kissing him with the assurance that she wasn't the least bit ashamed of him. Pulling away a moment later, she caught a far off smile spreading across his face. "Shame is cool. I can deal with shame."   
  
She couldn't help the smile that blossomed on her own face as she turned away, reaching for the rest of her clothes. She managed to get back into her jeans with some maneuvering, and then pulled her shirt on, the thin material sticking to her sweaty back as it fell into place. Reaching over the seat, she rolled down the window, sweat cooling on her skin as fresh air swirled into the car.   
  
Without really talking it out, he laid down on the backseat, his feet drawn up, and his shirt still in the front seat, sweat glistening on his skin in the rapidly cooling air. She turned around and laid down on the tiny sliver of cushion left, her head on the arm he had slung under his own head. She swung her legs over his as he pulled her closer, free hand pressed against her back. Her own hands went to his chest, fingers splayed against the soft muscles, her body tired and suddenly, her mind too. She yawned wide and snuggled against him.   
  
"You're sleepy..." He teased, circling her back with his index finger, sending little shivers coursing through her body. She smiled and looked into his eyes, blinking sleepily.   
  
"Well...I did come out here to sleep, you know."   
  
"Me too!" He exclaimed, tugging on her hair as she chuckled wearily.   
  
"'Bout how long do you think we can snooze before someone misses us?"   
  
"At least until four. It's…" He glanced at his watch and grinned. "Eleven now. We've got a few hours."   
  
"Good. You don't mind?"   
  
"No. Sleep away."   
  
"Aren't you tired?"   
  
"I'm kinda awake now."   
  
"M'kay…if someone knocks on the window…tell them we're just…" Her voice trailed off in mid-sentence as sleep grabbed her and sent her swirling away from him. He watched her eyelashes flutter against her pale, sweaty cheek and smiled. "Love you…" She suddenly murmured quietly.   
  
Andrew stopped and looked her over, his gut wrenching. Surely she couldn't have meant that…she was asleep. Still, it made him feel…   
  
"I love you too." He said into the quiet car, kissing her forehead with all the tenderness he could muster. Then he curled up around her to wait for morning, when things would go back to normal--at least, as normal as it got these days. Maybe after the apocalypse things would change and they'd…but that could wait until after.   
  
They had tonight and that was all that mattered. Tonight until the end.   
  
(end)   
  
**** 


End file.
